Car Review: 2000 BMW M-coupe

2000 BMW M Coupe

Handout, BMW

by
David Booth, Canwest News Service | August 10, 2011

Small

Medium

Large

“They’ve been into the schnapps again. Or maybe they’ve been making too many paper airplanes.”

So spake my esteemed colleague and fellow National Post reporter, Brian Harper upon laying eyes upon the BMW’s pugnacious little M-coupe. Basically one of Bayerische Motoren Werke’s hip little M-roadsters with a station-wagon roofline grafted on, the M-coupe garners looks wherever it goes, though not all are appreciative.

It’s certainly not a profile that elicits mixed feelings. Everyone has an opinion regarding the M-coupe, all on the polar extremes of love and hate. My own critique started on the negative side when I first saw spy photos of the quirky little beast, but in the flesh I fell for its ‘I’m so ugly, I’m beautiful’ charm. If you like bulldogs, you’ll love the M-coupe. If you’re a fan of sleek greyhounds, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Underneath that controversial skin resides the heart of BMW’s rapid M-roadster. That means 240 horsepower of BMW Motorsports massaged 3.2 litre inline-six. Buttery-smooth and instantly responsive, this is one of the sweetest engines in the biz. Perhaps just a little too responsive for regular commuters as the engine responds to the slightest change in throttle position, requiring a co-ordinated hand when shifting gears. On the other hand, the noise it makes revving to 6,000 rpm and beyond is the intoxicating buzz that turns young boys into sports car fans for life. It’s also plenty rapid.

BMW Canada claims a zero to 100 km/h time of 5.9 seconds. Interestingly, that’s 0.3 seconds faster than the lighter M-roadster that shares the same engine and gearbox. Either is more than quick enough to draw the ire of the local constabulary if used to its fullest extent. It’s worth noting, however, that German versions get a 321 horsepower six that lets the M-coupe hunt down Vipers and other supercars, especially on a twisty road.

The addition of the hard-top has one performance benefit. The extra structural rigidity afforded by the steel roof greatly stiffens the car’s chassis, transforming an already excellent handling car into an exemplary one. Riding on the same 17-inch rims (with 225/45 front tires and 245/40 rears) as the M-Roadster, the coupe is truly amazing any time the road turns sinuous. Few cars can match its combination of precise steering, prodigious grip and confidence-inspiring feedback. Flick it into a corner and it’s remarkably easy to control the rear end around in a classic rear wheel drift (at least with the traction control switched off) just by working the throttle.

The penalty for this is suspension that’s more than a little stiff. Every crease in the road is felt. Along with the styling, it’s just one more reason that only the truly committed should consider M-coupe ownership.

Inside, the coupe’s interior is standard BMW fare with the addition of a little more chrome gilding around the edges and more side bolstering from the sports seats. It’s a tight fit so those of ample proportions need not apply. On the other hand, adding the rear hatch section has given the M-coupe significant storage capacity, at least compared with the roadster as well as most other sports cars. Where the convertible version barely fits a weekend’s groceries, the M-coupe can swallow a small hockey duffel bag with just enough room for some apres-match aperitifs.

The cost of the M-coupe’s exclusivity is $62,900, exactly the same as the M-roadster’s MSRP. In the last 12 months, BMW Canada has sold 56, making it a rare beast on our roads. With it’s quirky looks and substantial pricetag, you’ll not see its double on every street corner. I’ll bet that’s a large part of the attraction.